Indicia reading terminals are available in multiple varieties. Well-known among the varieties is the gun style terminals as commonly seen at retail store checkout counters. Other terminals are also available that provide enhanced functions, have keyboards, and displays, and include advanced networking communications capabilities.
Among the many functions of these indicia reading devices is the capability to image decodable indicia. Compared to scanning such indicia, which is commonly done with laser scanners designed to raster laser light across the indicia, image capable terminals utilize imaging technology that can capture, store, and process image data of the decodable indicia. The terminal is able to render from the captured image data the information stored in the decodable indicia.
The terminals of this type, however, that utilize image sensors can have functional limitations that do no permit them to fully address the requirements that can be critical to certain indicia reading applications. To address such problems, complicated technology that comprises movable lens assemblies, multiple lens assemblies, and additional image sensors and related circuitry can be used to, e.g., increase the depth of field and resolution of the indicia reading terminal. These solutions often exceed the size, and cost constraints that are necessary to implement image sensors in the wide range of devices that are used as the indicia reading terminals.
Therefore, there is a recognized need for an imaging device that can decode decodable indicia, but that fits with certain physical limitations.